A wind turbine with a nacelle, a rotor and a rolling bearing via which the rotor is rotatably connected to the nacelle, wherein the rolling bearing includes either an inner ring connected non-rotatably to the nacelle and an outer ring which is rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the inner ring and is connected non-rotatably to the rotor, or an outer ring connected non-rotatably to the nacelle and an inner ring which is rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the outer ring and is connected non-rotatably to the rotor, and with at least one sealing element arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring for sealing an interior of the rolling bearing which can be filled with a lubricant.
Rolling bearings usually have an inner ring and an outer ring which is rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the inner ring. Such rolling bearings are typically filled with a lubricant, e.g. a grease or an oil, via which excessive wear of contact points inside the rolling bearing can be countered. In order to seal the lubricant-filled interior of the rolling bearing, and hence prevent as far as possible any undesirable escape of lubricant, usually a sealing element is provided between the inner ring and the outer ring.
Such sealing elements have proved successful in practice. However, in particular in cases in which a local surplus of lubricant or a locally increased pressure exists in the rolling bearing, often lubricant leaks through the existing sealing elements. Such lubricant leakages reduce the lubricant supply in the rolling bearing, so it is necessary to service the rolling bearing at regular intervals in order to check the lubricant quantity present in the rolling bearing and replace lubricant if necessary.
Thus a need exists to extend the maintenance intervals of rolling bearings.